LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2202, 15 July 1914, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The tricolour of Frniice flew from tlio flaccstalf of Messrs. W. and G. Tujailnill and Co.'s warehouse yesterday lionour of the anniversary of, the takinp of the Bastilo. Mr. Jas. Macintosh, of the firm of Turnbull and Co.. is consular agent for France in Wellington; ' His Excellency. the Governor stated at yesterday's Town Hall luncheon that there ivere some places in Now Zealand which ho had not yet seen, but that before the timo for their departure arrived both the Count-ess of Liverpool, and himself intended to fas far as possible) visit the nlacos which they had as yet been unable to see. The Government is to bo -urged by the Municipal Association to cither take over and bo responsible for the repair of arterial'ronds; or subsidise the local bodies, maintaining sucli roads. _ Referring to Wellington's dia'moiid jubilee, which event is due: on January 22 next,.the Early Settlers' Association, in its annual report, urges' 1 members that special efforts should be made, to fittingly commemorate this important event in the history of our province." ' New Zealaiiders' fondness for sport is often referred to ill public speeches. Yesterday his Excollency the Governor, who opened the Municipal Association Conference, mado tho following observation:—"You have much to be. proud of in New Zealand, as you glance round the .younger members'of the community, for you see round you sturdy, bright, and healthy scions;'of your race; only bo suro that no responsibility rests on your shoulders that whilo encouraging them in all their games and pleasures you have neglected to instil into, them the golden precept that their onioymont will be still moro glorious when they havo placed it second to their diHy to thoir country, town, or district." A chimney fire in Mr. Bonnington's grocery store, in Molesworth Street, caused the Fire Brigade to turn out at 7.13 p.m. yesterday. The fire was extinguished before any real darnago was done. Councillor Howell was very omphatic in his advocation'of the erection of danger posts throughout tho Hutt County under the motor by-laws, at the meeting of tho Hutt County Council t yesterday. "I have seen motors travelling at a. murderous speed," he said, "and it is time it was stopped." Councillor Howell then moved'that posts be erected as he advocated. The motion was carried. "It won't cost moro than £25 or £30," remarked the mover. "Mere.likely £100," interjected Councillor Galloway. "I give nocico of motion that tho resolution jtlst carried be rescinded." Councillor Howell laughed, and tho next business of tho council was proceeded with. "One thing is quite certain, even to ono who, like myself, has only been a short timo among you, and that is that there is plenty of occupation for all who desire it in New Zealand, and that, like everywhere else,.it is only to those who ■do not desire to work that this Dominion does not appear in a golden light," observed his Excellency tho Governor when addressing tho Municipal Association Conference yesterday. "I need not add that I do not include in this number those who from other causes are incapacitated from sharing the benefits which would be theirs except for some misfortune, but even these are moro generously treated by tho community here than in many other countries." On the suggestion of the Wangamii Borough. Council, the Municipal Association Conference expressed tho opinion yesterday (by resolution) that councils should be empowered to manufacture bricks and sell 'them on such terms as they thought lit.

Messrs. Hoggard and Prouso are tlio architects for tlio new picture tlieatro to ba erected in Manners Street for Mr. J. Fanning. ' : A deputation from .the Hutt County Council waited upon the Minister of Public Works, (the Hon. W. Fraser) yesterday, and presented a plan of the proposed Akatarawa bridge. A deputation had previously been before the Minister with respect to the road, and ho had asked ior a plan. This was given, and the estimated constructional cost was stated as £1000, but other expenses, such as making the road, and compensation for land, would bring tlio cost 'to £2400 Mr. Fraser said that he would have the plans submitted to the Engineer of the Public Works Department. Then the only thing lie could do .was.to have a £ for £ grant, up to a certain sum, put on tlio Estimates. If he was asked • for a strniglit-out grant of £1400 ho would liavc to refuse it, as it was more than half tho estimated cost. The need of ■ raising funds to'keep roads in good order prompted the Hastings Borough Council to'send the following remit to the Municipal Association Conference:—"That steps should bo taken to obtain the necessary authority enabling borough councils to levy taxes as follow:—A tax on motor buses, lorries, carts, and other wheeled traffic of an excessively wearing nature. The proceeds to be devoted to the maintenance of reads." The motion was heavily defeated.. One of its opponents was the Mayor of Wellington, who said that it might interfere unduly with business. ,Mr. J. B. Richards, president of the Stratford Chamber of Commerce, waited on the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. F. Massey) yesterday, to urge tlio speedy settlement of Sections 9, -10, 11, 1!J, 13. and 5, Block 2, Po'u'atu S.D., and Section 1, Block 14,-Waro S.D., Crown land (of a' total area of. about 2849 acres), about 60 miles from Stratford, which has b'eon lying idle-for a number of years. Mr. Richards pointed out that tho land was good settlement laud, and was only about six or seven miles from tho railway. At present there, was about £3000 worth of timber on it, but lie thought the timber could be loaded or the value of the land, and settlers would take it up. The land was already surveyed into sections. In reply, Mr. Massey said that-ho was pleased to hear that there was such a .largo area that could be settled. Tlio timber was the difficulty, but if it was possible to have tho land settled without loss, it would be cut up as soon as arrangements could be made. Mr. Richards, Who was introduced by Mr. J. B. Hine, member for Stratford, thanked Mr. Massey, and also conveyed tho appreciation of tlio Stratford Chamber of Commerce as to the manner iii which he had settled the Kaitioke Block. They wero working, he said, for ten years to get that settled, but got no satisfaction till they placed it in Mr. Massey's hands. Now every section was takon up. Mr, Massey: "I am glad to , hear it. I am not going to keep land lying idle." A grant for the purpose of metalling the western-portion of Pembroke Road, in tlio county of Stratford, was asked by Mr. J. B. Richards, president of llie Stratford Chamber of Commerce, who waited upon tlio Minister 'of , Public Works (the Hon. Fraser) yesterday. Mr. Richards said that he represented ' the Chamber of Commerce, the Borough Council, and a certain Mountain Club, Stratford. It was of great importance to "the tourist traffic that the , road should be metalled, aj it was' opening up access to Mount Egrnont; He •thought that the cost would be-;£ 500/ About a mile of road required metalling.' All the people-iii the vicinity were dairy, farmers, who were tied up to their workfor the greater part of the day. They had"time to" spare during tho middle of 1 tho; day! -and'that- was !, tho f only place to which niey could go. - Hie place was also becoming; more ill favour as a tourist- resort. Mr.. Fraser said that Lb had taken a note, of 'the matterj' and' would see tile Minister in Cliargo of Tourist Resorts with reference to it. The;' Mayor of 'Wellington stated at the opening of tho Municipal Association's Conference yesterday that n'very considerable number of the association's resolutions passed at the last and at provious conferences wero .last session made law in tho Municipal' Corporations Amendment Act, 1913, and other Acts; This was owing largely to the action taken by the Minister 'of. Internal Affairs, the Hon. H. D. Bell, K.C.. who personally went through all the association's Bills and the subsequently passed, remits, and placed a large number of tho clauses and remits before Parlia--ment. Borough by-laws relating to the driving of stock occupied the • attention of the Supreme Court- yesterday, when an appeal by Constable M'Carthy against the decision of Mr. T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., of Christchurch, in dismissing the informations against four persons for driving stock to and from tho Aldington saleyards, in alleged contravention of tho lii:carton Borough by-laws, was argued. Tho magistrate held that the uj-law was ultra vires and unreasonable, and the' contention of appellant was that th: iccision was erroneous in point of la,:. The Chief Justice (Sir-Robert Stout) presided, and sitting with him were Mr. Justice Denniston f Mr, Justice Edwards, and Mr. Justice Cooper.. Mr. S. G. Raymond, of Christchurch, with him Mr. F. W. Johnston, of Christchurch, appeared for tho appellant (Constable M'Carthy), while Mr. C. P. Skerrett, K.C., Mr. George Harper, of, Christchurch, and Mr. M. J. Gresson, of Christchurch, appeared for. tho respondents. Argument is proceeding. The request of tho .chairman of the Makara County Council (Mr. F. T. Moore) at yesterday's meeting of the Hutt County Council, that the body lio represented' be provided with accommodation in the Hutt Council's offices le3 to a suggestion from a councillor that, the time was opportune for the consideration of alterations and additions to tho present building. The matter was left ill tho hands of a committee of three of tho council to inquire into and report to a later meeting'. No doubt Hutt County councillors felt the chilly snap in the city as severer ry as anyone else at yesterday's meeting. Each in turn stealthily vacated his seat at the council table to' indulge in a brief toast by tho fire at 'the other end of the room. Towards tho end of tho meeting it happened that two councillors at once sought tho cheery blaze. Tho genial warmth generated conversation, and presently roads, bridges, and drains wero sunk deep in the 'background of tho minds of the two civic renrosentatives. Another councillor just .then happened to loavo the room, leaving at the council table the chairman, the clcrk, a councillor sitting at the table with his back to_thc fire, and .inother councillor on his fret in the. middle of a contention.' So engrossed was ho hi his subject that ho did not notice the exodus from the table, and when ho concluded, the chairman looked towards the fire. "Aro vou councillors hv the fire agroeable to that?" liosnid.Tho firesiders looked -up guiltily. "Mino's a long shandy," shouted hick one, and he bent down again to the fire, everyone laughed, and the\business of the meeting proceeded. "I know rents are getting scandalously high," stated Mr. Frazer, S.M., yesterday morning at - Auckland, when the defendant in a maintenance case declared that ho was asked 30s. a week for a fourrooms and scullery, and that ho could not get a liouso for less, adding that he was asked for 30s. a week for a fourroomed. house .in Albert Street. "I hope," continued his Worship, "that somo day tho Legislature or City Conncill will take in hand a scheme which will enablo a working man to get a house at a rent bearing some proportion, to its value, instead of being unreasonably bled."—Press Association

Tho question of .filling vacancies created in tho office 6f Mayor or councillor during their terms was discussed by tho Municipal Congress yesterday, when it was resolved, on the motion of Mr. M'"Combs, M.P., "That provision should bo made for any vacancy in tlio offico of Mayor or councillor to be. filled by the council for tho balance of the. term, if tho vacancy occurs witlnn six montliß before the date fixed for tho biennial election." No doubt it was with tho best of intentions that the Mayor concluded the civic reception to tho town-planning, delegates last evening, with the remark that they would delay the delegates no longer. "They want to get a! bath and some dinner—what they want," ho-said. The Rev. M. P. Lascelles, of tho Petone Baptist Church, recently offered ■ to_ subsidise £ for £ all monetary promises received by last Sunday evening towards liquidating-the church debt. Encouraged by this liberal statement, tlio congregation rapidly brought tlio fund up to £93 on Saturday evening, and on Sunday £57 was added, making, a total of £150, which, with the subsidy, represents £300 off tho debt'. ■ Pabnerston North, Timaru, Ash-bur-ton, Westport. and other towns suffer considerably throush trains blocking .traffic across public roads which are adjacent to railway yards. Palmorston North moved as follows at tho Municipal Associatiou Conference yesterday "That legislation should be introduced to prevent tho Railway _ Department from blocking a crossing within a city or borough by-bringing a train to a standstill thereon, and also to provide that wifhin the of a city or borough the railway crossings shall be paved or blocked." The Hon. J. Barr-suggested that, the Government should.be asked to remedy tho trouble by way of regulations, and Mr. James Boddie (To Kuiti) said that there were towns in which tho Railway Department could not ayoid the indonvenience. Eventually Mr. .Barr's suggestion was adopted. V It is common knowledge that whoevei occupies the office.of Prime Minister Is liable to encounter hard work in very stern reality. Tho Prime Minister remarked at tlio To mi Hall yesterday that bis. Parliamentary duties entailed considerable labour, and stated that already that morning ho had received nine deputations on all sorts of subjects.. On the ground that tho Mayor of a city or a borough expends much of his .honorarium in charity, entertaining, etc., it was moved at ..the!."Municipal Association Conference "That the honorarium "paid to the Mayor of a. borough should be exempt from income tax." The motion was carried. The Mayor of Wellington (Mr. J. P. Luke) opposed the pi'oposal, and another delegate suggested that the honorarium could bo increased to cover the tax. . The annual report of the Early Settlers' and Historical Association of Wellington states that during, the year fifty new members were elected, seven have resigned, five have died, leaving a total membership of 190. The balance-sheet discloses a surplus of assets over liabilities, totalling £71 7s. 4d. -"An important development in the association work,"'states the report, "has been tlio inauguration of . the movement to erect a memorial at Petone to commemorate the landing of oiir first pioneers;on,the Petone Beach in 1840. Your, executive, intend to. vigorously, push'tbis proposal, and aim at being in the position to lay the foundation stone during'the Diamond Jubilee celebrations next Januarv." The New Zealand Sports Protection League received a word or two of praise ■ from tho-president of the Trotting Conference (Mr. John R-owe) in the course of his annual address to'delegates yesr terdny.. "Since, this ...body came into existence 'some three years'; ago/the dei fenco of our pastimes of all kinds has ! been quietly and effectually-'-carried ; o;it," saidiMrr.-Rowe.-"We!must.not:.let the fa'ct lull us to a false sense of securitv, for it is onlv at 'the cost of eternal vigilance that, safety is secured, and ' I would ".counsel you all to enroll your friends as member's of the league,, and to impres3 upon them' the., necessity. of so pronouncedly placing their views before the respective candidates at the forthcoming Parliamentary .elections that thev will each realise that he, be a bold man indeed, and' with small chance of success, who attacks, our prop.or pastimes." '.; iThe Putiki Natives are ex? tensive preparations for a big tangi in connection with'the death of the late Chief .Takarangi Mete Kingi -(states our ' Wanganui'correspondent). Large crowds of Natives are-expected from all .parts of the North Island. Some months ago a man, Thomas Hewitt, while suffering from hallucinations, murdered his wife in the presence of his two children at Patea. Information has just been received of a sad sequel to the tragedy in the death in England of Hewitt's aged mother, who collapsed on hearing the news and died almost immediately. The shock of the Ims also-bad an effect on Hewitt's eldest daughter; a bright girl ten years, of age, whoso hair has 450110 grey sinco'the terrible occurrence. The Mayor of Lower Hutt presented medals to' Firemen A. H. Smith and S. Strand, of. the Hutt Fire Brigade (the •former with a five years', service medal, and the latter with a two years' service bar) at Monday's meeting of the council. Foreman Dorran thanked the Mayor on.behalf of the brigade. ' The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals met yesterday evening, Mr. W. "Watson presiding. The society's inspector (Captain Henry) reported on no-fewer than .twelve cases of horses suffering from wounds and other complaints (in each caso the advico of the inspector had been acted upon). He also reported on seven cases of cruelty in which Court proceedings had been taken. Fines had been imposed in some cases, whilst other actions were pending. Tho report was adopted. Donations amounting'in all to £8 18s. 6d., were 'received from the society's collector. A STRAIGHT TALK TO MOTOK-CAU BUYERS. .., The farmer, more perhaps than any other class of tlio community, demands value for money when lie is purchasing n inotor-cai. The purpose of these few lines is to demonstrate to him - that in tne Stndelwker car the firm of Adams. Ltd., can offer better value for less money than any other firm in New Zealand. Adams, Ltd., are the largest importers of automobiles in the Dominion. They have had fourteen years of experience of importing cars to this country, and of driving tlicm under all conditions. They know'the motor business' from A to Z, and they have selected tho Studebaker car .as 'absolntHy tile best, valiie\. for inbnev obtainable in the world, Studebaker". quality ear.nnt ba surpassed, yet th» Studebaker ear sells in New Zealand from £30 to .£SO lower than any other car 'fitted with the indispensable electric self-starter, and cWric lighting set. StiK'i'baUer cars aro Iwdng purchased daily throughout New Zealand, and evry tnirchaser is more than satisfied. The' inori experienced the motorist the better duos he'appreciate the Studebaker; These aro the Studebaker prices for New Zealand 35-li.p. 7-seater Srndobaker, .£3!15-; 25-h.n. 5-seater Studebaker, 25-h.p. "-seater cabtiolet Studebaker, ,&)03; 25-h.p. 3-seater Studebaker (body made to special order by Boon and Co., Christchurch),. XH'j. These prices include "Wagner" electric, self-started, elcctric lighting set, hood, wind-shield, and, in fact, all the items usually charged as "extras." A shipment of tlie new 25-h.p. StuJebakers has just arrived, and the ears may bo humected at Christchurch, or any of our agents. ADAMS, LTD., Agents for Studebaker Motor-cars, Christchurch Branches at Wanganui mid Pal. merston North. DISTRICT AGENTS-Tonrist. Motor Co., Hasiingfi Newton King, New Ply. month and Stratford; J. H. Lyttle, Mnsterton: Hutchinson Bros., Kkctahnnai A. and R. Donald, Fahintna; E. A. Bansome, Dannevirke; and Grove Motor Co., Wellington